Career Seasonal Dispatcher, Wildland Fire Dispatcher

Career Seasonal Dispatcher, Wildland Fire Dispatcher 2 (WFD2)
Full-time, Seasonal, Represented position (WPEA)
Anticipated Career Seasonal employment is March – November

Salary:  $4,018.00 – $5,366.00 Monthly

Please note: An additional 5% King County duty station pay has been added to the base salary listed on this announcement.

Review of applications is ongoing. We reserve the right to make a hiring decision or close this recruitment at any time after 11/09/2026. It is in your best interest to submit materials as soon as possible. Interviews for this position will tentatively occur in January 2027.  This career seasonal position is typically filled from March through November, depending on the timing and duration of fire season and projected agency needs.

Want to join something GREAT and make a difference?
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has an exciting opportunity within our South Puget Sound Region as a Wildland Fire Dispatcher. Are you detail-oriented? A confident communicator and active listener? Do you want to gain experience in high-stress situations while supporting emergency work? As a Wildland Fire Dispatcher, you will perform a critical role in emergency management by dispatching and tracking agency resources. You will complete additional tasks, such as fire reporting analysis, logistics, documentation, records management, and other wildfire-related support. This is your opportunity to join a fast-paced, high-functioning team, develop lasting relationships, and contribute to the safety and protection of our region’s residents and natural resources.

To be successful in this role, the selected individual will need to be:

• Service-oriented;
• Calm under pressure;
• Attentive to detail;
• Self-motivated;
• And possess strong verbal and written communication skills.

Additionally, the person serving in this role will be required to learn and implement complex procedures and technical programs utilized in dispatching. They will use their judgment to make daily decisions that align with those procedures and support the overall mission to protect the health of Washington’s lands.

Responsibilities:
This position activates an emergency response when life, property, or natural resources are threatened due to wildfire.  Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Receive and prioritize communications from agency staff, 911 dispatch centers, and the public via telephone and radio transmissions;
• Document, evaluate, and disseminate reports of wildland fire, smoke complaints, accidents, and all-hazard incidents on DNR-protected lands;
• Accurately track and record agency resource status and logistical availability in support of incident response and preparedness;
• In coordination with incident command staff, initiate the response to local incidents in accordance with agency protocols and guidelines;
• Provide vital flight navigation data to aviation assets such as latitude and longitude of an incident, air-air and air-ground radio frequencies, ground contacts, and flight hazards or restrictions;
• Provide flight following and monitor critical navigation data to track aviation assets within the SPS Region while in transit and during incident response;
• Clerical dispatch duties include tracking and documenting resource availability, resource or incident locations, weather forecasting, fire reporting, and incident orders;
• Process fire weather information and distribute daily intelligence reports to region resources;
• Works with the Wildland Fire Management Division and the Northwest Coordination Center to dispatch local resources to state, national, and international wildfire and all-hazard incidents utilizing the Interagency Resource Ordering Capability (IROC) system;
• Processes and completes Fire Reports and Burn Permits;
• Assists in maintaining, updating, and improving reference materials, Mobilization Guides, databases, manuals, and handbooks utilized in streamlining emergency responses.

Required Qualifications: 
You must meet all the Required Qualifications and Competencies to be considered for this position. There are multiple pathways to meet qualifications, such as education, volunteer work, life skills, and experience.  Please clearly communicate in your Application materials that your skills align with the position and qualifications. 

• Experience in computer programs such as Microsoft Suite and Adobe
• Experience involving public contact or communication such as radio communications, receptionist, switchboard operator, or clerical office work which includes interacting with the public

Required Competencies: 

• Must have demonstrated ability to relate to a diverse customer base
• Must be able to type 40 words per minute
• Commitment to fostering and supporting an environment that honors diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental justice practices